PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Roli Poli (ranked 542 p4p, 74 weight class) and Bo Nickal (ranked 359 p4p, 50 weight class). Roli Poli could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Bo Nickal's chin.

Poli
vs
Nickal

183 cm
22
170 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

178 cm
21
178 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Conviction
Big Tree's Vintage Wear ($10 shirts $15 shorts)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Roli Poli!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Bo Nickal!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Kenichi Hosakawa and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Poli waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Nickal.
Nickal feints the counter takedown.
Poli throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Nickal on the side of the head.
A decent looking cross lands there for Nickal.
Nickal moves out of range as Poli strikes.
Nickal misses with a left hand
and Poli counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
A swing and a miss from Nickal.
Poli takes a swing at Nickal's ribcage but misses.
Nickal looks to land a left hand but Poli moved out of range nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Poli tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Nickal was well out of range. Poor timing from Poli.
Nickal shoots and misses
and Nickal takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Nickal is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Poli.
Poli throwing a counter right hand but Nickal manages to avoid it.
Nickal misses with a looping right.
Poli is looking to counter punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poli throws a hook to the side of Nickal's head but Nickal sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Nickal throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Poli tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Nickal is in Poli's guard.
Nickal looking to sit in guard and control but Poli gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Nickal is trying to control the position but Poli postures up.
Nickal manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Poli manages to get himself to full guard.

Nickal pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Poli is keeping the position for now.
Nickal throws a big right hand that misses.
Nickal wants to pass the guard but Poli is keeping the position.
Nickal in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Poli avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Nickal works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Nickal thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Nickal not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Nickal not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Nickal winds up and cracks Poli with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Nickal wants to work for an arm triangle but Poli is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Poli keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Nickal trying to pass the guard but Poli defending well.
Poli avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Nickal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nickal throwing shots but Poli is blocking nicely.
Poli wants to control but Nickal is keeping busy.
Poli avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Nickal.
Poli trying to hold on to Nickal's head to control him but Nickal postures up.
Nickal sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Poli defending well though.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

Nickal is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Nickal missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Nickal has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Nickal wants to pass to mount but Poli is defending the position.
Nickal is keen to just control but Poli is a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Nickal winds up and cracks Poli with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Nickal is trying to control the action in half guard but Poli is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Poli is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at Blake Phoenix's Champion Factory, so we'll see if he gets out of it.
Poli is trying to control but can't.
Nickal throwing shots but Poli is blocking nicely.
Poli won't allow Nickal to pass to mount.
Nickal lands with a punch from half guard.
Ground and pound from Nickal.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Nickal working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Nice strikes from Nickal there.
Ground and pound from Nickal.
Poli is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Poli is staying active underneath Nickal, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Nickal wants to pass the guard but Poli is defending well.
Nickal wants to control but Poli is keeping him busy.

Nickal is looking for a kimura but Poli is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Nickal to get the leverage.
Poli keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Nickal tries to pass to full mount but Poli defends it.
Poli keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Nickal thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Nickal is working for a submission of some sort.

Nickal wants to work for an arm triangle but Poli is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's six minutes gone in the round.

Nickal is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Poli sees it coming and defends easily.
Nickal looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Nickal missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Nickal thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Nickal working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Nickal wants to pass the guard but Poli is defending well.
Nickal throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Nickal with the ground and pound but Poli uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Nickal is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Poli working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Nickal.
Nickal tries to free his leg and advance position but Poli is retaining full guard.
Nickal with a flurry of punches that miss.
Nickal looking to pass the guard.
Nickal wants to control from the top but Poli keeps moving.
Nickal lands a couple of elbows.
Nickal throwing strikes but missing.
Nickal throwing strikes but missing.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Poli utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Nickal advances to half guard.

Nickal is trying to work for a kimura but Poli is defending well.

Nickal seems to be looking for submissions.
Poli avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Nickal.
Nickal not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Poli wants to improve his position but Nickal is controlling well.
Nickal stalling.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Nickal sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Poli defending well though.
Poli wants to improve his position but Nickal is controlling well.
Poli keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Nickal throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Poli to regain full guard.
Nickal trying to control but Poli is working from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nickal wants to pass the guard but Poli is keeping the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bo Nickal dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Poli misses the shot to the body.
Nickal doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Poli counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Nice body punch from Poli.
Nickal misses with a left hand
and Poli connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
A big right from Nickal misses.
A big right from Nickal misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A jab from Poli finds it's way through Nickal's defenses.
Poli misses with an uppercut. Nickal saw that one coming.
Nickal blocks a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poli misses with a right hand

and Nickal counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Nickal wants to control from the top but Poli keeps moving.
Nickal postures up in Poli's guard and throws a big left but Poli blocks it.

Nickal postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Poli is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Nickal, into his guard.

Nickal looking to hit a scissor sweep but Poli is one step ahead there.

Nickal looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Poli passes into half guard.
Poli trying to control from half guard but Nickal is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nickal gets full guard.

Nickal looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Nickal is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Nickal escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Poli gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Nickal has an active guard here but Poli has managed to pass into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nickal works his way to full guard. Good work.
Nickal keeping moving, preventing Poli from controlling successfully.
Nickal is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Nickal is still trying to improve position.

Nickal looking for subs off his back but Poli has passed one foot through into half guard.

Nickal looking to force a kimura from the bottom here. He's concentrating on that move too much though and Poli pushes past his half guard into mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Poli trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Nickal wants to control but Poli is having none of it.
Nickal has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Nickal tries to reverse the position but Poli maintains control.
Bo Nickal has got the better of the ground game so far.
Nickal gets back to half guard.
Nickal is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Nickal is trying to control but can't.
Nickal manages to get to full guard.

Nickal is looking for a triangle but Poli pushes his legs off easily.

Poli got a little sloppy there for a moment and Nickal has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Poli has managed to get both his arms back between Nickal's legs - danger averted.

Nickal is looking for a triangle but Poli pushes his legs off easily.
Nickal wants to sweep but no luck.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Poli postures up.
Nickal wants to sweep but no luck.
Nickal bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Poli's guard.

Nickal trying to control but Poli is working from the bottom.
Poli working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Nickal.
Nickal throwing strikes from guard but Poli blocks nicely.
Poli working a defensive guard here.
Poli has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Nickal is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Nickal working some strikes from top position.
Nickal postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Nickal pushing down on Poli's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Nickal seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Poli does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Nickal is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Nickal trying to control from half guard but Poli is working away.
Poli is looking to control Nickal's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Poli avoid being mounted?

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Poli is staying active underneath Nickal, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Nickal is looking for a kimura here.

Nickal is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Poli has managed to free his arm - good work.
Nickal takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Nickal not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Poli is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Nickal scores with a couple of nice shots.
Nickal wants to pass the guard but Poli is defending well.
Nickal thows a huge punch but Poli dodges it nicely.

Nickal is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Poli is just riding it out for now. Nickal eventually gives up the hold.
Poli is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Nickal throwing shots but Poli is blocking nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Bo Nickal will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Poli staying out of range there.
Poli was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Poli walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Nickal might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Nickal thows a leg kick but Poli checks it
and Poli counters with a nice uppercut.
Nickal throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Poli is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Poli scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Poli scores with the left hand. Nickal knows he should have avoided that one.
Poli throws a hook but Nickal blocks it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nickal with a poor takedown
and Poli counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Nickal thinking.
Nice defenses there by Poli.
Nickal scores with a decent looking hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poli avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Poli scores with a punch to the head.
Nickal throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Roli Poli is winning the standup battle so far.
Nickal throws a lazy right hand but Poli sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A quick step to the side and Poli tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Nickal fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Poli manages to avoid it.
A little feinted left hand from Poli on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Poli throws a series of punches but Nickal moves out of range.
Nickal looks to throw the jab but Poli is out of range.
Poli defending well as Nickal loads up on a big left hand.
Nickal throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Poli misses with a hook.
Nickal uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Poli has time to react.
Nickal on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Poli throws a body punch but Nickal moves out of range.
Poli pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Nickal feints the counter takedown.

Nickal shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nickal thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Poli's head.
Nickal thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Poli's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nickal frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Nickal throwing strikes but Poli uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Nickal is looking for a kimura but Poli is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Nickal to get the leverage.
Poli is looking for a sweep. Nickal is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Nickal trying to work for an americana but Poli has managed to regain full guard.
Nickal postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Nickal stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Poli swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Nickal slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Poli tries to bench press Nickal off him but Nickal keeps the position.
Nickal throwing strikes but Poli manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Nickal is looking to reverse the position.
Nickal is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Nickal keeps trying to improve his position.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Poli wants to stand but Nickal is controlling his arm.
Poli is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Nickal will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Nickal is looking for a sweep.
Nickal sneaks back into half guard.
Nickal is trying to get back to full guard.
Nickal wants to control but Poli is keeping busy.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Nickal actively working from the bottom here.
Nickal tries to get to full guard but Poli has control of the leg.

Poli moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Nickal.
Nickal gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Roli Poli has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Nickal manages to get to full guard.
Nickal working a defensive guard here.

Nickal is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Poli defends well.

Poli is posturing up here but Nickal has hold of an arm and he's gone for an armbar! Poli tries to roll out but it's too tight and Poli has to tap! Slick submission there by Nickal!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 7:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Bo Nickal!
Bo Nickal is the new welterweight champion!
During a confident post fight interview, Bo Nickal thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.